The Best Places to Buy Tweed in Scotland
Embrace one of Scotland's most versatile textile traditions 🪡
If you’re planning to travel to Scotland soon you’ll likely want to embrace some of Scotland’s famed traditions; such as golf, whisky, tartan, haggis.. and tweed.
As for every authentic Scottish custom, there are usually low quality (and ethically lower) counterparts on offer.
If you walk around the old streets of Edinburgh you will see plenty of ‘kilts’ and various tartan accessories lining the shop fronts. But sadly, most of these are made in a factory in China, rather than in Scotland.
Tweed isn’t immune to this.
If you’re following us here, you likely value authenticity, quality, and comfort. Because we value those too. And if you’re looking for insider knowledge, or some first-hand recommendations to help you make informed purchasing decisions, we’re here!
This blog will help you to navigate the market of tweed, categorised into items you may be on the lookout for; including tweed kilts, tweed accessories and tweed by the metre.
Of course, this is solely our opinion. Based on our real experience and bias. We don’t pretend to know the entire market, but we hope this guide helps you step into the wonderful world of Scottish tweed.. enjoy!
Best place to buy a tweed suit off the rack:
Walker Slater
Edinburgh, Glasgow and London
Tweed suits have made a come back in the recent years thanks to popular tv shows such as Peaky Blinders and Downton Abbey. And if you are looking for a tweed suit that has a classic, sharp look, Walker Slater has got you covered.
Alongside their vintage inspirations, Walker Slater also pride themselves in offering ‘contemporary tweed’. Heritage fabric with a more modern cut. A great way to bring a bit of the 1920’s to the 2020’s.
A tweed suit can be a great addition to any man’s wardrobe, especially for Fall/Winter. It’s a versatile look to have on hand, and can be styled for so many occasions. From exploring the landscapes of Scotland (which is what inspired the colours and textures of tweed), to roaming the streets of Glasgow and Edinburgh, which is where you’ll find 3 of Walker Slater’s stores, to browse and buy their tweed suits.
Best place to have a browse:
The House of Bruar
Pitagowan
If you are planning to rent a car during your Scottish trip we strongly recommend visiting the Cairngorms National Park. A beautiful region, full of mossy forests, tall snowy peaks, and wild rivers. It’s also close to Speyside, which is a popular area for whisky lovers to pay a visit.
On the journey north from Edinburgh, in Pitagowan, you will find The House of Bruar. A spectacular shopping experience for all things Scotland.
Cashmere, wool, fishing equipment, fine art, local produce, and even a fish and chips kiosk (renowned for their lobster special). And not forgetting of course.. tweed, for both ladies and gentlemen.
The cut of their house suits are decent, not too modern, not too classic.
Rose owns a few House of Bruar tweed skirts, and practically lives in them. They are classic, comfortable and so versatile to dress up or down. A small investment for a wardrobe staple!
We also found their latest campaign to be especially inspiring. The stylist gets a round of applause from us, as each look creatively encapsulates the Scottish way of life whilst respecting codes of classic menswear.
Overall, House of Bruar is a fantastic shopping experience, in the midst of a great region of Scotland. We stop by every time we’re in the area. We simply love it.
Best place to buy a tweed kilt:
Auld Alliance Kiltmakers
Edinburgh
Even though kilts are traditionally made with tartan, you can have kilts made with tweed. And they are a thing of beauty!
Julien owns one made by Rose for our wedding, and it’s his favourite kilt to wear.
In case you didn’t know, Rose has a long background in textiles, and is even a trained kiltmaker (although she hasn’t made one in a couple of years!).
She was taught the art of handmade kiltmaking at the Edinburgh Kiltmakers Academy, where we first met Mathilde and Jonathan; the husband and wife team behind Auld Alliance Kiltmakers.
They are true artisans, and make all of their made-to-measure kilts entirely by hand in their studio in Edinburgh.
Every kilt is entirely bespoke; from the material, to the buckles, pleating and even the hidden details and the lining. Because of this approach, their books fill up quickly. It’s best to enquire long in advance, but a kilt is a garment that will last you a lifetime and is well worth the wait.
Of course, you can also approach the duo for a tartan kilt. But if you don’t have a family clan, or are looking for something a little bit different, a tweed kilt is a great investment.
P.s. Kilt's aren’t exclusively for men! They also make ladies kilts to the same impeccable standard.
Best place to buy a tweed jacket for kilt outfit:
Gordon Nicolson Kiltmakers
Edinburgh
A tweed kilt jacket is a great alternative to the Bonnie Prince Charlie formal jacket often seen worn with a kilt outfit. Rugged yet elegant, warm and comfortable, a tweed jacket in the right colour will complement your kilt, both tweed and tartan kinds!
If you value authentic yet contemporary highlandwear, Gordon Nicolson Kiltmakers is the place for you. Their team of skilled artisans can, of course, also make you a kilt. But it’s their tweed jackets we really want to wanted to highlight in this blog post.
They work closely with mills around the country to offer the very best, thoughtfully designed cloth to their clients. Their collaboration with Lovat Mill in particular has always been a favourite of ours. They’ve created an exclusive range of tweed woven especially for GNK jackets, and it’s a collection that truly elevates each kilt.
Best place to buy ladies tweed accessories:
LoullyMakes
Cosy tweed cowls, ear warmers, tote bags, eye masks, scarves and much more can be found on LoullyMakes’ website.
Best selling point? It is all made by a very small team in Dunbar, East Lothian, headed by founder Louise Nicolson (the wife of Gordon, from Gordon Nicolson Kiltmakers!).
LoullyMakes pride themselves on using only the finest quality materials, and are known for their harmonious designs, marrying authentic Scottish tweeds with prestigious Liberty of London fabrics.
Visit their website before buying anything on the Royal Mile, as you are sure to find a much higher quality accessory that is made in Scotland by passionate makers.
Best place to buy ladies tweed jacket:
Walker Slater Ladies
Edinburgh
Ladies, if you liked the idea of the ‘contemporary tweed’ approach that Walker Slater offer to men, then we have a good news! There’s also a Walker Slater Ladies..
Only a few doors down from the mens store on Victoria Street, Edinburgh, you will find a beautiful old shop dedicated to ladieswear. As well as feeling like you are stepping back in time, will find beautiful tweed pieces, such as skirts, trousers and much more.
We especially love their ladies tweed jackets . They offer a fantastic range of shapes and tweeds to reflect both the landscapes of Scotland and your personality.
In particular, we love their Emma jacket. It’s both bold and elegant, and wouldn’t look out of place on the set of Downtown Abbey.
Best tweed coat:
Elizabeth Martin
Let’s continue talking tweed for the ladies..
We’ve already written a blog post, more like a love letter, to Rose’s Elizabeth Martin tweed coat. Classic, elegant, elevated, timeless. That’s how we would describe these designs.
If you are looking for a piece that will make you feel like a million dollars, look no further. An Elizabeth Martin tweed coat is an investment piece that will follow you through the years. Not to mention the sheer number of compliments - Rose can testify they come thick and fast!
You can shop for these beautiful coats on her website, or visit the Scottish Textile Showcase on St Mary’s Street in Edinburgh to browse the range in person.
Photo by Raini Rowell
Best place to buy tweed by the metre:
Lovat Mill
Hawick
If you are looking to create something yourself from tweed, and want to buy an authentic fabric, Lovat Mill in Hawick is a great choice.
The ‘home of tweed’, Hawick is a Scottish Borders town steeped in textile history, and it’s where this now legendary cloth was invented. Did you know the name ‘tweed’ was actually an accident? You can read more of the story on Lovat’s website.
Lovat Mill offers an unrivalled catalogue of tweeds. We have been lucky enough to see their Estate Book, which contains every tweed designed and woven for estates all over Scotland, dating back centuries! It is a piece of history, and so is the brand itself.
When you buy a tweed jacket, suit, coat etc (especially from a reputable brand) there is a high chance it will be made from Lovat Mill cloth.
Best way to experience tweed:
Harris Tweed Authority makers
Isle of Harris
You have been waiting for it! A tweed guide with no mention of Harris Tweed would be an heresy.
You will find Harris Tweed products all over Scotland, of course, including in some of our previous recommendations. To make sure what you’re buying is authentic Harris Tweed cloth, look out for the Orb - it’s the symbol of the Harris Tweed Authority, and a certification of authenticity.
To be certified as such, all Harris Tweed cloth must be: “Handwoven by the islanders at their homes in the Outer Hebrides, finished in the Outer Hebrides, and made from pure virgin wool dyed and spun in the Outer Hebrides.”
So naturally, the best way to experience Harris Tweed is to make the trip to the Isle of Harris.
The long journey to the Outer Hebrides island is a rewarding one. Even if you are not interested in tweed, the landscapes will make you fall in love.
We have only visited Harris and Lewis once, and it was early March, so pretty much everything was still closed for the winter season. There were, however, a handful of shops starting to open, and when we discovered our bothy was bitterly cold each night, we were very grateful to find a Harris Tweed cover for our hot water bottle!
Our trip had a slow, nostalgic and even melancholic feel, that we loved, but unfortunately that means we can’t recommend a particular Harris Tweed maker to visit based on our own experience.
You can find a list of independent weavers via the Harris Tweed Authority website.
What tweed item are you on the market for? Let us know in the comments!
Until next time,
Rose & Julien x